SAN ANTONIO -- Four years ago, Tony Romo went into training camp just hoping to make the Dallas Cowboys.
By last summer, he'd worked his way up to being the promising backup.
Now Romo is the marquee attraction, the Pro Bowler whose love life recently was examined by National Enquirer and the guy whom Jerry Jones has singled out as the key to the team's success.
Big change, right?
Nope, Romo insists.
"I try to come out here and be as good as I can be," he said at the start of training camp. "Whatever that is, I don't know."
Nor do the Cowboys. They hope he'll be the quarterback who won five of his first six starts, beating the eventual Super Bowl champion Colts when they were 9-0 and throwing five touchdown passes against Tampa Bay on Thanksgiving. But they have to be wary of the player who finished 1-4, capped by botching the hold on a short go-ahead field goal attempt, knocking Dallas out of the playoffs in the first round. Full story
Gonzalez, Colts agree on deal
INDIANAPOLIS -- Receiver Anthony Gonzalez, the Indianapolis Colts' first-round pick, agreed to a five-year contract worth $10.3 million Thursday, a person close to the negotiations said.
That person is not authorized to release details of the deal and requested anonymity, but said $5.4 million in the contract is guaranteed.
By wrapping up negotiations this week, it assures Gonzalez of reporting to training camp on time with his new teammates Sunday. It also marks the earliest the Colts have had their top pick under contract since president Bill Polian joined the team in 1998.
In previous seasons, the Colts typically raced the clock to finish deals. Five of Polian's top picks -- Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Rob Morris, Dallas Clark and Bob Sanders -- held out. Three others -- Dwight Freeney, Marlin Jackson and Joseph Addai -- signed on the eve of camp. The other player, Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne, signed on reporting day.
Houston leaves Jets
HOMESTEAD, N.Y. -- New York Jets running back Cedric Houston left the team for personal reasons.
Houston, the Jets' sixth-round pick in 2005, rushed for 676 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 15 passes for 109 yards in two seasons. His finest game in a Jets uniform came last December, when he ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in a 38-10 win at Green Bay.
The reason for Houston's departure wasn't immediately known.
The 6-foot, 220-pound Houston was a powerful presence in New York's backfield -- when healthy. He played well after filling in for an injured Curtis Martin as a rookie, but he missed five games last season due to a knee injury after being inactive the first two weeks of the season.
Cowboys ink LB Spencer
SAN ANTONIO -- The Dallas Cowboys signed top draft pick Anthony Spencer to a five-year, $9 million deal and were hopeful of having the linebacker in training camp by the afternoon.
Spencer, the 26th pick in the draft, will get $6 million guaranteed. He missed the start of camp Wednesday and the first workout Thursday morning. He was waiting out negotiations in Dallas.
Spencer was a defensive end at Purdue, getting 10½ sacks as a senior and 21 in his four-year career. The Cowboys will be moving him to outside linebacker to rush the quarterback on the side opposite of DeMarcus Ware. Ware successfully made the switch from college end to linebacker when he arrived two years ago.
Spencer is expected to open the season backing up veteran Greg Ellis, if he recovers from a torn Achilles' tendon that ended his season in November. Dallas' pass rush dropped off drastically after Ellis was hurt.
WR Johnson not at Lions camp
ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions began training camp workouts without top pick Calvin Johnson.
The wide receiver, chosen with the second overall pick in the draft, is the team's only rookie without a contract.
Coach Rod Marinelli said nothing had changed between the team and Johnson.
The All-America selection was regarded by some as the best player in the draft after catching 78 passes for 1,202 yards and 15 touchdowns during his junior season at Georgia Tech. He won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top collegiate receiver.
Bulger allowed to miss practice
ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger, who is seeking a new contract, was a no-show for a mandatory team meeting the day before the start of training camp.
Rams coach Scott Linehan said team officials were meeting with Bulger's representatives and was hopeful that Bulger would be on the field for the first practice Friday morning.
"I'd be surprised if he wasn't," Linehan said. "I think it'll be resolved. I'd be really surprised if it got that far, personally."
Linehan said the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback's no show was an excused absence, for now, and there would be no fine. The two spoke by telephone Thursday morning and Linehan believed that Bulger was in St. Louis.
Losman held out of camp
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Quarterback J.P. Losman was held out for the start of Buffalo Bills training camp after straining his lower back working out this week.
Coach Dick Jauron listed Losman as day to day, but noted the quarterback will be placed on the physically unable to perform list. Losman can be activated off the list at any time.
"It won't have a lot of impact. Hopefully, it'll be very short-lived and he'll be right back on the field," Jauron said after the team held its first practice in suburban Rochester. "I don't know if deflating is a good term. I don't feel deflated. But it wasn't expected, that's for sure. These things, as we know, happen."
Losman was experiencing a little stiffness, but added he would be able to play if the Bills had a game this weekend. He said he was more embarrassed to miss the start of camp from doing leg squats on Tuesday.
Williams glad spotlight's off him
HOUSTON -- Mario Williams feels as though a weight has been taken off his broad shoulders.
A year removed from being chosen first overall in the NFL Draft, the defensive end enters his second training camp in Houston happy the spotlight on him isn't quite so bright.
The Texans checked into camp and will begin practicing Friday morning.
Williams was under constant and intense pressure last season after the Texans' shocking decision to pass on Reggie Bush and hometown favorite Vince Young in favor of him.
Briggs should be in camp Sunday
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Recent history suggests the Chicago Bears' path back to the Super Bowl could be a rocky one. Coach Lovie Smith didn't seem concerned as his team filed in for the start of training camp.
"We've heard about losing Super Bowl teams and what they're supposed to do. We haven't bought into that," Smith said Thursday, nearly six months since a rainy loss to the Colts in the Super Bowl at Miami.
When the Seahawks beat the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs last season, Seattle became the first Super Bowl runner-up since 1997 to win a postseason game the following season. The Seahawks were also the first Super Bowl runner-up to even make the playoffs since the 2001 Titans.
"What we're buying into is that we think we have our best team coming this year," Smith said.
Turley signs with Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Former Pro Bowl offensive lineman Kyle Turley was among four players to agree to contracts with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Turley agreed to a one-year contract to rejoin the team after being released in March. He attempted a comeback last year after a two-year absence because of back surgery. The back bothered him in the last half of the season, and he started only seven games.
Turley has started 102 games during his career for New Orleans, St. Louis and Kansas City.
The Chiefs also signed three draft picks. Second-round choice Claude McBride, a defensive lineman from Tennessee, signed a four-year contract. Third-rounder DeMarcus Tyler, a defensive lineman from North Carolina State, and sixth-rounder Herb Taylor, an offensive tackle from Texas Christian, each signed three-year deals.
Gleason done for year
JACKSON, Miss. -- Special teams standout and reserve safety Steve Gleason, whose blocked punt led to a touchdown in the New Orleans Saints' home opener in the Superdome last year, is out for the 2007 season.
Gleason, 30, was put on injured reserve.
"It's frustrating because he's someone that's been a big contributor," head coach Sean Payton said at the Saints' training camp at Millsaps College. "The tough part for Steve and for us was how long it's going to take to rehab.
"We'll miss him. You can point to specific plays, but more than just a blocked punt against Atlanta, there were a lot of things he did to help us as a team."
Bengals awaiting top pick
CINCINNATI -- Running back Kenny Irons and four other draft choices signed contracts with the Cincinnati Bengals, who were set to open camp without their No. 1 pick.
Irons, a running back from Auburn who was a second-round pick, agreed to a four-year deal on the day players reported for the start of camp in Georgetown, Ky.
The Bengals also signed quarterback Jeff Rowe, a fifth-round pick from Nevada; defensive tackle Matt Toeaina, a sixth-round choice from Oregon; and center Dan Santucci and safety Chinedum Ndukwe, both seventh-round picks from Notre Dame.
The Bengals still have not signed top draft pick Leon Hall, a cornerback from Michigan. They were scheduled to hold their first practice on Friday evening.
Vikings have three out
MANKATO, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings will start training camp with three players on the sidelines: defensive end Erasmus James, left tackle Bryant McKinnie and wide receiver Billy McMullen.
McKinnie and McMullen reported with lower-body muscle strains that coach Brad Childress declined to be more specific about. They were both placed on the non-football-injury list.
The pair was held out of the team's mandatory conditioning test as a precaution and will work out on the side during the Vikings their first full-squad practice Friday. Childress said McKinnie met his target weight and that he and McMullen could rejoin the active roster at any time.
James has been recovering from last September's surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list.
Bing claimed by 49ers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers claimed safety Darnell Bing off waivers and signed receiver Jason Hill to a contract.
Bing, a fourth-round pick by the Oakland Raiders out of Southern California in 2006, spent his rookie season on injured reserve with a neck injury. He was cut loose by Oakland on Wednesday because the Raiders had an excess of safeties following the signings of free agents Donovin Darius, Colin Branch and B.J. Ward.
Hill, a third-round selection, became the seventh draft pick signed by San Francisco. Top pick Patrick Willis and third-rounder Ray McDonald remain unsigned.
Raiders cut Anderson
NAPA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders cut tight end Courtney Anderson as the team reported to its first training camp under new coach Lane Kiffin.
Anderson, a seventh-round pick out of San Jose State in 2004, started 24 games the past two seasons, making 49 catches for 588 yards and five touchdowns. He split time last season with converted wide receiver Randal Williams and was not expected to start this year.
The Raiders used their second-round pick in April's draft on Zach Miller, who should have a chance to earn the starting job during training camp. Oakland also signed free agents Fred Wakefield and Tony Stewart in the offseason.
The Raiders signed defensive end Bill Swancutt, who was waived by Detroit earlier this week.
WR Bradford signs with 'Skins
ASHBURN, Va. -- Free-agent receiver Corey Bradford signed with the Washington Redskins.
Bradford is a nine-year NFL veteran who played with Green Bay, Houston and Detroit. His best season came with the Texans in 2002, when he had 45 catches for 697 yards and six touchdowns.
He has 215 career catches for 3,346 yards and 25 TDs.
Also Thursday, the Redskins released receiver Danny Melendez.
Denver signs Harris
DENVER -- The Denver Broncos signed third-round pick Ryan Harris to a four-year deal.
The team also released safety Sam Brandon after he failed his physical. Brandon was recovering from a torn right anterior cruciate ligament, an injury sustained against Pittsburgh on Nov. 11 that forced him to miss the rest of the season.
Harris, an offensive tackle, was the 70th overall pick in April. A four-year starter at Notre Dame, the 6-foot-5, 292-pound Harris started his final 37 games at left tackle after switching over from right tackle, a position he played as a freshman.
Marcus Thomas, the Broncos' fourth-round pick, agreed to terms July 11. Denver has only two unsigned members of its rookie draft class -- Texas defensive end Tim Crowder and Florida defensive lineman Jarvis Moss.
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